A Quick Bite: Souvlaki Greek Skewers in San Jose

By Amy Pizarro

Correspondent

Posted:
03/08/2012 12:00:00 AM PST

Greek food seems to be experiencing a surge in popularity, with several new restaurants popping up in the South Bay. The latest is Willow Glen's Souvlaki Greek Skewers, where you can enjoy a memorable Mediterranean meal without breaking the bank.

Souvlaki, which opened in January in a small strip of shops on Alma Avenue, isn't a fussy restaurant. Meals are served in red plastic baskets with white paper, and the decor is simple and sleek. An open kitchen and long counter are a stark stainless steel, but the room is brightened up with framed prints of Greek architecture and landscapes, plus a huge mural of the Acropolis.

The menu features a number of enticing options, in large part because Souvlaki does two things incredibly well. The first is the pita bread used in the sandwiches. These lightly grilled rounds are pillowy perfection, the kind of pita you want to rip up and stuff in your face whether there's anything spread on it or not. The second is the house-made tzatziki, a cool and creamy cucumber yogurt sauce that will have you licking your fingers long after the last bite.

The tangy tzatziki is a perfect condiment for the gyros souvlaki ($5.99). A blend of marinated lamb and beef is sliced off a slab that spins lazily on a spit behind the counter. The thin shavings are then tucked into a pita, along with tomato slices, red onions and a few squirts of that heavenly sauce. The meat is tender and seasoned well, and even my girlfriend, who isn't a fan of lamb, devoured her entire sandwich.

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I, on the other hand, quite enjoyed the savory vegetarian souvlaki ($5.99), which features hunks of soft, marinated mushrooms tossed on the grill with zucchini slices, red and yellow bell peppers and onions. Next come fresh tomato slices, and the sandwich is finished with tzatziki and crumbles of an exceptional feta cheese that was soft, slightly salty and incredibly rich.

Also satisfying is the falafel souvlaki ($5.99). Six golden-fried balls of falafel are served atop fresh tomato, half-moons of peeled cucumber, slivers of red onion and lettuce. The falafel had a delightfully crunchy exterior surrounding a soft, piping-hot center flecked with herbs and seasonings.

For $2.99 you can make any sandwich into a combo, adding fries and a soda. The french fries are above average, hand-cut potato sticks that weren't popped into the fryer until we placed our order. They are not seasoned with a heavy hand, just a light sprinkling of salt, pepper and a bit of oregano.

Not a sandwich fan? Try the Greek lemon soup ($4.99). The broth is buttery and bright, with soft orzo pasta and hunks of white and dark chicken meat. Souvlaki also offers a traditional Greek salad of cucumber, red onion, bell pepper and kalamata olives (which, my teeth told me, still contain their pits!).

From the side orders section of the menu, the spanakopita ($4.99) is a solid choice, four puffy phyllo triangles filled with spinach and feta, with a barely lingering onion flavor. We also tried the Spicy Greek Feta ($3.99) which is a mixture of feta, roasted hot red peppers, garlic and spices.

I'm not sure why I expected this to be a hot dip -- it isn't. It's served cold in a plastic cup. I found it overly salty, and I believe a dish of house-made hummus ($3.99) is a far better way to spend your pitas.

Do save a bit of room for dessert, with Greek pastries baked every other day by the owner's 73-year-old mother. The baklava ($2.99) is gooey sweet with a delicious cinnamon flavor.

Or try the interesting kataifi ($2.99), which looks like a golden roll of shredded wheat. It's actually fine strands of phyllo dough soaked in syrup and baked, surrounding a filling of finely chopped walnuts, honey and brown sugar.

Souvlaki Greek Skewers

577 W. Alma Avenue, San Jose408-289-1452

Hours: 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. every dayTypes of food: Souvlaki pita sandwiches and other Greek specialtiesAverage price: Around $6Good choices: Gyros souvlaki, falafel souvlaki and Greek lemon soupNot recommended: Spicy Greek Feta appetizer was too salty.Attitude: Attentive and eager to please Vegetarian options: Pita sandwiches stuffed with falafel or marinated veggies; Greek saladsDrinks: Soda, tea and coffeeEat in car: Sure -- if you like cleaning the carNext-day edibility: These sandwiches are best eaten right away.Who goes there: Neighborhood familiesCredit cards: AcceptedParking: Parking is available in front of and behind the eatery.

Restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously. The Mercury News pays for all meals.